Association of mercury and selenium with altered glutathione metabolism and oxidative stress in diving ducks from the San Francisco Bay region

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

5207_Hoffman.pdf

Links

Abstract

Adult male greater scaup (Aythya marila) (GS), surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata)(SS), and ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) (RD) were collected from Suisun Bay and coastal Tomales Bay in the greater San Francisco Bay area to assess exposure to inorganic contaminants. Hepatic selenium (Se) concentrations were highest in GS (geometric mean = 67 ppm, dw) and SS (119 ppm) in Suisun Bay, whereas hepatic mercury (Hg) was highest (19 ppm) in GS and SS from Tomales Bay. Hepatic Se and Hg were lower in RD and did not differ between locations. Hepatic supernatants were assayed for enzymes related to glutathione metabolism and antioxidant activity including: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-peroxidase), glutathione reductase (GSSG-reductase), and glutathione-S-transferase (GSH-transferase). GSH-peroxidase activity was higher in SS and RD, and G-6-PDH higher in GS and SS from Suisun Bay than Tomales Bay. GSSG-reductase was higher in SS from Suisun Bay. The ratio of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to reduced glutathione (GSH) was greater in all species from Tomales Bay. The following significant relationships were found in one or more species with increasing hepatic Hg concentration: lower body, liver and heart weights; decreased hepatic GSH concentration, G-6-PDH and GSH-peroxidase activities; increased ratio of GSSG to GSH, and increased GSSG-reductase activity. With increasing hepatic Se concentration, GSH-peroxidase increased but GSH decreased. It is concluded that measurement of associated enzymes in conjunction with thiol status may be a useful bioindicator to discriminate between Hg and Se effects. Concentrations of mercury and selenium and variable affected have been associated with adverse effects on reproduction and neurological function in experimental studies with mallards.

Additional Publication Details

Publication type:

Article

Publication Subtype:

Journal Article

Title:

Association of mercury and selenium with altered glutathione metabolism and oxidative stress in diving ducks from the San Francisco Bay region

Series title:

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Volume

17

Issue:

2

Year Published:

1998

Language:

English

Contributing office(s):

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Description:

167-172

Larger Work Type:

Article

Larger Work Subtype:

Journal Article

Larger Work Title:

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

First page:

167

Last page:

172

Number of Pages:

6

Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF). For best results viewing and printing PDF documents, it is recommended that you download the documents to your computer and open them with Adobe Reader. PDF documents opened from your browser may not display or print as intended. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge. More information about viewing, downloading, and printing report files can be found here.